Chinua Achebe Things Fall Apart Essay Example for Free

Chinua Achebe Things Fall Apart Essay He had a slight stammer and had no patience with unsuccessful men. Okonkwo’s fears were becoming like his father, Unoka because his father was a failure. The characteristics of his father was his father was poor and his wife and children had barely enough to eat and people laughed at him because he was a loafer and they swore never to lend him money again because he never paid it back. Unoka was inactive, deprived, wasteful, weak, moderate, and always very fascinated in music and conversation. Okonkwo on the other hand was the total opposite of his father, he just married his third wife, he was a wealthy farmer and had two barns full of yams last but not least he had taken two titles and had shown incredible prowess in two inter-tribal wars. 2. Kola is a stimulant, comparable to very strong tea or coffee, which is served on most social occasions in this culture. It is also one ingredient after which Coca Cola is named. Note how the ritual for sharing kola is described without being explained. Why do you think Achebe does this? He will continue to introduce Ibo customs in this fashion throughout the novel. * Achebe describes kola without explaining it because he wants the reader to know that Kola nuts plays a big part in the African culture due to the fact that in the book it states â€Å"He who bring Kola Nuts brings life†. Kola Nuts is to be presented to the titled man or a village head. This plays a very important social and ritual role in the Igbo culture. The kola-nuts are the highest symbol of Igbo hospitality. Whenever a kola-nut appears in a gathering, the matter to be discussed at that particular time is regarded as very important. When an important guest visits the community, kola-nuts are brought out and handed to the elder person. 3. One becomes influential in this culture by earning titles. As with the Potlatch Indians of our region and many other peoples, this is an expensive proposition which involves the dispersing most of ones painfully accumulated wealth. What do you think are the social functions of such a system? I believe the social functions of such a system is to show your people how far you have come as a person and how successful you are. So the more money that you spend it shows people how victorious you are. If you just have a regular old party without putting much money into it you aren’t that successful in other people’s eyes. 4. One of the most famous lines in the novel is proverbs are the palm-oil with which words are eaten. What does this mean? Palm oil is a rich yellow oil pressed from the fruit of certain palm trees and used both for fuel and cooking. Look for other proverbs as you read. Cowry shells threaded on strings were traditionally used as a means of exchange by many African cultures. The villages distance from the sea makes them sufficiently rare to serve as money. Cowries from as far away as Southeast Asia have been found in sub-Saharan Africa. * This important quote shows how the Igbo people use their art of rhetoric so plainly. The quote shows how our lifestyle is one of fast-paced conversations, yet the Igbo prize conversation as an art form. That art form shows how the Igbo people use rhetoric so plainly. We all know proverbs are meant to be well thought-out and intentional but not quickly digested and forgotten. In the quote the metaphor suggests that words are organized by proverbs for digestion. Palm oil was a common form of cooking oil, and many foods were prepared with it for use. For that reason, proverbs are the source by which words or conversations are made. The same value that they place on food, the nourishment of life, to words, the sustenance of communication and for these reasons the community.

Reply to Post of Jennifer Schaefer Essay Example for Free

Reply to Post of Jennifer Schaefer Essay The outline set by the learner for the conduct and content of the initial interview is very traditional and methodological. It starts out with the gathering of relevant information, analyzing the data and then formulating solutions to the problems of the clients. This method is the commonly used approach in the world of therapy because it has been proven effective and easy to use by many therapists. For the first part of the outline, I think that the learner is very formal. This may make the client feel that he or she is being examined by a professional which is not helpful in forging a relationship with the client. This stage is very important because it empowers and enables the client to disclose all his or her experiences that will lead the therapist to find or provide solutions to the client’s problems. In the end, this formal or rigid approach can impede the progress of the counseling session. Reply to Post of Michele Moran The outline drafted by the learner tackles the issues of the client from recent to old. The problem that I see with this kind of approach in conducting an initial interview is that it seems very invasive to the client. At the beginning of the interview, the therapist or counselor would immediately ask for personal information about the client. Then, the client will be bombarded with questions or insinuations regarding his or her problem. I think these stages are essential but a rapport first must be established between the client and the therapist. Through this, the client can feel the he or she is not just talking to a professional who is doing his job but more of a friend or confidant who is willing to help and concerned about the welfare and development of the client.

Downstream Linkages in the Zambian Copper Industry

Downstream Linkages in the Zambian Copper Industry Resource extraction is often regarded by governments and people of resource-rich countries as a solution to poverty alleviation, ranging from tax revenues, technology transfer, and employment creation, export enhancement to upstream and downstream linkages. Downstream linkage industries do promise the widening of employment opportunities and high foreign earnings as a result of value-addition. Western resource intensive economies such as Australia, Canada, US and the like are examples of well-managed, resource-rich economies in which the mineral sectors spurred knowledge-intensive processes, created jobs and foreign exchange earnings and resulted in spill-overs into new industrial and service sectors. The scope of downstream linkages is often considered an important determinant of the extent to which a mineral-rich nation stands to gain additional economic benefits that come with it. This explains the continuous pressure that is always mounted on mining companies by host governments to engage further in downstream activities. However, downstream activities irrespective of their location are influenced by global market dynamics and competitive elements. Therefore, in an attempt to grasp the benefits that come with downstream activities, it is extremely imperative to examine the opportunities, risks and possible ways of striking a balance taking cognizance of the global demand and supply interplay to ensure that the highest possible net positive benefits are achieved and sustained. In focus is Zambia which has been an active copper mining country since 1900s though performed poorly along the line but revamped barely in the last decade. In 1968, Zambia held an important position as a copper producer, with peak output at 815,000 ton and a 15% share of world output, but the abysmal performance of its state-owned enterprises that took over after the 1969 nationalisation resulted in a drop of output to a trough of 250,000 tonnes in 2000 (Radetzki, 2009p.182). Nevertheless, the copper industry has been revitalised with the privatization of the mining sector which occurred between mid-1990s and early 2000s. In the period 2000-2005, copper exports contributed to around half of total foreign exchange earnings, but from 2006 onwards, this share increased to 73.5% 83.2% ( Fessehaie, 2012 p.3). Copper also provided 10% of formal employment and its contribution to GDP in the last decade increased on a yearly basis, reaching 9.1% in 2009. Copper mining has and continues to be one of the largest economic activities in Zambia, comprising approximately 10 percent of GDP and more than 60 percent of exports (Wilson, 2012pp798-799). The paper therefore examined downstream or for ward linkages to copper production in Zambia by first exploring the scope of downstream linkages and examined the risks, opportunities and risks mitigation measures in the downstream sector of Zambias copper industry. The rest of the paper is structured as follows; section two introduces the background and established the theoretical framework. Section three examined the scope of downstream activities, the risks, opportunities and possible measures for risks mitigation and section four concludes with recommendation. 2.0 BACKGROUND 2.1 A Brief Overview of Global Copper Production and Consumption The global cumulative annual growth in global mine output of copper has gone through significant changes over the period 1750 to 2007. It stood at 0.8% in 1750-1800, rose to 2.6% in 1800-1850 and from 1850 and until 1900, the annual growth of copper production accelerated to 4.5%. Output expansion subsequently reduced to an average of 3.3% between 1900 and 1950, and remained at this level until 2007 (Radetzki, 2009p.182). In 2011, global copper production reached an output level of 16100 metric tonnes from 15900 metric tonnes in 2010 with a total reserves value of 690000 metric tonnes (USDSp. 49) (2012). On the other hand, growth rates in global copper consumption fell from 4.48% in the period 150-1973 to 0.65 covering 1973-1983 largely explained by the oil price shocks of the 1970s and 80s and picked up again, reaching 2.51% for period 1983-2003 (Nishiyama, 2005p..132). The period following 1990 saw a significant increase of Asia, especially Chinas share of global copper consumption , currently about 40% (ICSG) which gradual spurred up copper prices in the mid-2000s. The interplay of Chinas demand growth and appropriate timing of additions to production capacity speaks a lot about the future global trends in both production and consumption. 2.2 Overview of Copper Mining in Zambia Copper mining in Zambia dates back to the 1900s under the control of two mining companies, Rhodesia Selection Trust and Anglo-American Corporation (AAC)( Fessehaie, 2011p.16) .The industry came to be nationalized in the late 1960 and was operated under state ownership and control, a typical characteristic of mining operations in mineral exporting countries in the decades following the Second World War. The government, following years of significant losses, privatized its copper mines, which were later consolidated into the Zambia Consolidated Copper Mines (ZCCM), majority-owned by Government (60.3%), with a minority share owned by AAC (27.3%)( Fessehaie, 2011p.16). For instance, Kansanshi mine, the largest copper project in Africa is 80% owned by First Quantum Minerals Ltd and 20% by the state run ZCCM Investments Holdings which replaced ZCCM (ARB, 2012). The mining sector is regulated primarily by Act No. 7 of 2008 (the Mines and Mineral Development Act of 2008). The Zambian copper industry is not insulated from the acquisitions and mergers characteristic of the global mining industry. In 2011, Barrick Gold Corp. of Canada acquired Equinox Minerals Ltd. of Canada (USp43.1). Newshelf 1124 (Proprietary) Ltd. of South Africa, an indirect subsidiary of the Jinchuan Group Ltd. of China acquired Metorex Ltd. of South Africa and its underground Chibuluma copper mine (Metorex Ltd., 2011, p. 8). Konnoco Zambia Ltd., a joint venture of African Rainbow Minerals Ltd. of South Africa and Vale, continues with the development of the Konkola North underground copper mine (African Rainbow Minerals Ltd., 2012, p. 70). Mining companies equally undertake joint ventures in explorative activities in Zambia. Argonaut Resources NL of Australias subsidiary Lumwana West Resources Ltd. in a joint venture with Mwombezhi Resources Ltd. of Zambia set to explore in Northwestern Province (Argonaut Resources NL, 2012, p. 2). Zambias economy is heavily reliant on mining, particularly its copper and cobalt, and the mining sector makes significant contribution to Zambia exports and economic growth. Copper output rose dramatically following the copper price rise in the mid-2000s with annual copper production increased from 335,000 metric tonnes in 2002 to over 569,000 metric tonnes in 2008 (Wilson, 2012) . From 2007, copper exports contributed 73.7-80.5 per cent of total foreign exchange earnings, 10 per cent of formal employment, and in 2010 Zambia was the largest copper producer in Africa and the 7th largest in the world ( Fessehaie, 2012). Copper exports jumped from $474 million in 2000 to almost $4 billion in 2008. In 2010, the mining and quarrying sector accounted for 9.9% of Zambias real gross domestic product (at constant 1994 prices) compared with a revised 9.3% in 2009. Copper exports earnings increased by 15.5% to US $6,660.2 million from US $5,767.9 million in 2010 (Bank of Zambia, 2012, p. 23,) a nd in 2011, copper exports were valued at $6.9 billion (Mobbs, 2012 p.43.1). 2.3 Theoretical Framework The concept of linkage development in the academic discourse has its root from early works of Leontief (1936) who applied an input-output analysis to static quantity modeling (Lenzen, 2003 p.1), modified by Rasmussen (1956) for inter-industrial analysis as setting the basis for structural interdependence. In determining the key sectors of an economy, Hirschman (1958) argued that above-average linkages are pre-requisites for economic development and structural changes within an economy or a region (p1-2). Contrary to this argument, Bharadwaj (1966), Panchamukhi (1975) and McGilvray (1977) highlighted that international comparative advantages, technical and skill endowment, final demand structure are among the driving forces of economic growth and concluded that linkage interconnectedness is a weak rod to rationalising a development policy(1-2) According to Hirschman as cited in Morris et al (2012), there are three main types of linkages in the commodity sector thus, fiscal, consumption and production linkages. In his view, fiscal linkage encompasses royalties and taxes which together form mineral rents; consumption linkage entails the consumption demands of workers of the commodity sector, whereas the production linkage encapsulates both backward and forward linkages. Authors such as Sonis and Hewings (1989, 1999) and Sonis et al. (2000) in their works on the dynamics of backward and forward linkages, and economic landscapes of multiplier product matrices pushed further the arguments of Hirschman and Rasmussen (Lenzen, 2003 p. 2). The linkage thesis has been applied in a number of studies in attempts to examine the impact of mining on economies. Lenzen (2003) utilised the input-output application in his analysis of the key environmentally important factors of production, linkages and key sectors in the Australian economy and concluded without a factual basis that strong forward linkages are characteristic of primary industries like grazing and mining whereas strong backward industries characterized secondary industries (p.29). Similarly, Cristobal and Biezma (2006 p1,5) analysed the forward and backward linkages of mining and quarrying in ten EU countries to determine whether the industry constitute a key sector and came to a conclusion that the mining and quarrying industry has a strong backward link to regional economys production more than other sectors and otherwise holds for forward linkages. Though not a metal mineral, the Southern Louisiana offshores oil fields is the most apparent successful linkage ca pture identified throughout the 20th century. The ability to sustain pre-existing competition and the availability of the commodity in large quantities were largely responsible for the successful linkage capture (Freudenburg and Gramling (1998p 575-576). Moreover, Aroca (2001p 131) employed the input-output Leontief matrix to determine the impact of the mining sector on the Chilean II region and analysed the driving forces to the extent of the impact. With regards to the volume of production, his analysis indicates that the mining sector is very important but loses its importance in developing forward and backward linkages in the economy. Lydall (2009 p.2, 119) investigated backward linkage capture of South Africa platinum group metals and found different categories of supplier firms, ranging from base, medium to large able to satisfy the needs of the various PGM mines, concentrator plants, smelters and refineries. She however cautioned the existence of market-related and firm-speci fic factors militating against the growth and expansion of such linkages. Morris et al (2012 p 1-2,14) examined the underlying factors to linkage capture in the commodity sectors in low income countries in Sub-Saharan Africa with much attention on backward linkage capture and recommended for strategies to be mapped to propel industrial sector upgrading especially in commodity exporting countries. Also, Fessehaie (2012p 2,7) examined the determinants of upstream linkages to copper production in Zambia. She noted that backward linkage was growing and copper mining presents opportunities and recommended that in order to broaden backward linkage to utilize such opportunities there is the need to eliminate barriers to upgrading through an industrial policy which takes care of supplier competitiveness constraints. From the preceding literature reviewed, much attention on linkage capture studies has been directed at the backward linkage capture. The few works on linkage development in Zambia copper (Fessehaie, 2011 and 2012; Morris, 2012), the emphasis has been on the backward linkage. Therefore, the existence of paucity of studies that investigate forward linkages in the mineral sector particularly the copper industry in Zambia exposes a gap which the study aims to contribute to. 3.0 ANALYSIS AND DISCUSSION 3.1 The Scope of Downstream Activities Forward linkages encompass the establishment of downstream activities, at least processing and refining of copper ore and concentrates into primary metal, the fabrication of primary metal into semi-fabricated products and possibly, induced industrialisation. For the purpose of this study, mining ends with primary metal production and downstream activities begins with semi-products fabrication and beyond. Zambian copper industry has long history of existence but became more active and copper mine production of ore, anode and cathode increased following the privatization of the mining industry through the 1990s to early 2000s. The majority of copper ore mined in Zambia is smelted locally before being exported to foreign markets (Fraser and Lungu, 2007 Wilson). Fig 3.1 confirms that though greater share of mine output is refined locally, very less of it is used in the country. The graph covered a short period due to lack of access to up-to-date quality data. Zambias copper is mainly exported as cathode or blister, the standard forms of the internationally-traded commodity. Zambia uses less than 5 percent of its copper output to make fabricated products (World Bank, 2011 p ii). However, finished goods containing copper are mainly imported into the country. Zambia has developed a small copper fabrication industry that produces a narrow range of products for domestic use and for export to regional markets, largely informed by proximity to customers guided by profitability. However, these markets are small, and yet the industry competes with larger and more developed industries especially that of South African copper fabrication industry. Zambias fabrication industry is growing rapidly, but from a small base, led by Metal Fabricators of Zambia Ltd (ZAMEFA), a subsidiary of the US-based General Cable Corporation followed by others such as the Cast Product Foundry Non Ferrous Metals, Kavino and Central African Recycling in the scrap metal busi ness (World Bank, 2011p ii). ZAMEFA which has a domestic, regional and international market orientation produces wire rod, wire, cable, and a few other products. Its product portfolio is growing. Kavino, wire and cable manufacturer has a domestic market orientation whereas Central African Recycling is well positioned to utilized opportunities as they arise. Total number of employees falls below 1000. In 2008, Zambian mine, smelter and refined copper output in tonnes stood at 546 600, 232,000 and 416,900 respectively. The fabricated metals production sector contribution to GDP grew at an annual average of 0.2 percent for the period 2002 to 2008.(World Bank, pp 18). 3.2 Risks Associated with Downstream Activities The resource-based industrialiation that characterized the development process of resource-rich developed economies is often quoted to back resource-rich developing countries quest for resource-driven industrialisation which in their view masterminded the in dustrialiation process of some mature economies. However, the growth strategy of the Nordic countries, United States and Canada for instance did not based entirely on mineral extraction but span from a low-technology based on low-cost labour to highly sophisticated knowledge-intensive activities (Walker and Jourdan, 2003. P.30.). Nevertheless, risks, largely economic, abound alongside the potentials of further downstream activities. Downstream activities beyond primary processing are capital intensive and require less skilled labour. Guided by profit motive, firms seriously consider capital cost in securing capital to finance assets. Backed by the electronic revolution, market efficiency sets the ground for capital and skills to be deployed to most productive locations (Walker and Jourdan, 2003p 30) and countries without traditional comparative advantages like Zambia are less strategic in competing for foreign direct investment. Again, the capital intensive nature of further processing of copper questions the employment multiplier and rather breed associated risks of either expanding or contracting employment opportunities. Moreover, the fabrication industry uses 37 percent of copper that is derived from scrap metal which is limited in the country (World Bank, 2011p.iii). Therefore, importing other raw materials including scrap for fabrication may not make any comparative advantage sense in the short to medium t erm and highlights the risk associated with an uncompetitive and injudicious allocation of the nations scarce economic resources. The ability to compete and access adequate market, both regional and global to justify downstream activities on any significant scale comes with a risk. Committing resources into fabrication without any competitive market edge exposes the copper mining sector to possible collapse and the entire economy to possible shocks. This is because upon the small size of the sub-regional market (less than 1 percent) of the global total for fabricated copper products (World Bank, 2011p ii) better established firms in South Africa have captured a greater portion of the regional market. Internal demand for fabricated products is woefully inadequate and therefore, the promised job expansion, high foreign earnings and associated growth potential are easily erodible, if even attained. Walker and Jourdan, 2003p 33 noted that domestic demand was instrumental in Swedens initial resource-oriented industrialisation. Closely linked is tariff escalation that discourages exports of higher value-added products from Low Income Countries (LICs) (IMF, 2011p.16). Tariff escalation and high physical transport cost jointly further accentuate the risks to Zambian copper downstream activities. Consuming countries of copper metal and semi-fabricated products especially the newly industrializing countries and roaring developing countries of China and India, in their industrialization drive, have in one way or the other resort to restrictions in the form of differential tariffs (varies directly with the value already added) on raw materials imports for their industries. Dimaranan et al, (2006 p. 13) note that Indian policy measures in this regard include more effective duty exemptions for intermediates used in the production of manufactured exports. The high transport cost and tariffs imposed on value-added products together can cancel completely if not negate the often expectant high profits and associated em ployment multipliers. The prices for both the primary and fabricated products of the mining industry are characterized by troughs and peaks. However, the existence of terminal markets such as London Metal Exchange (LME), the Commodity Exchange Division of the New York Mercantile Exchange (COMEX/NYMEX) and the Shanghai Metal Exchange (SHME)(ICSGP.33factbook) provides mitigation to the risk on primary metal resulting from price volatilities. On the other hand, high-value added downstream products are more prone to price shocks as there exist no such terminal markets in that sub-sector of the industry. Therefore, the often envisaged employment multipliers and high foreign earnings that motivate pressure for further downstream processing places the entire economy at risk in the event of weak prices without any competitive edge. Mainstream fabricated metal products are largely low margin items. However, high level of capacity utilization and throughput is required to generate sufficient margins which are currently in non-existence in Zambian copper industry. This is largely informed by the uncompetitive and comparative disadvantages to the downstream sector of Zambian copper industry. The situation exposes the downstream copper fabrication industry to the risk of at best earning low margins. In 2008 for example, First Quantum Ltd, a leading European copper rod producer made profits of 12.2% and 49.6% from large Cap Cast Copper Rotors (CCR) rod mill and Oxygen-free High Conductivity (OFHC) rod fabrications respectively (World Bank, 2011p.13) but earned a profit of 85.4% from primary cathode production. Such low margins in fabrication gives the signals that even internationally competitive manufacturers of range of specialist copper products rather earn high margins in primary metal production. 3.3 Opportunities in Downstream Value-addition The existence of copper deposits in substantial quantities is a basic requirement for mining in the first place and possibly, further downstream processing (Freudenburg and Gramling, 1998). The existing domestic and regional market does not incentivise further copper fabricating on any significant scale, but some localised small-scale opportunities may emerge. In this regard, there may be a scope for some gradual scaling-up of existing output and/or product diversification by existing operations especially ZAMEFA and for some small-scale artisanal processing, probably based on scrap metal. Sectorial opportunities could be enhanced if the basic and mainly infrastructural bottlenecks are remedied. One of such opportunities is the World Bank support to revamp Zescos existing distribution networks in selected areas to reduce losses and improve supply quality (World Bank, 2011p.33,34). Depending on the roll-out of electrification extensions, there may be some demand for low and medium vol tage. Moreover, the global copper industry has identified a potential market which could exploit the known biocidal properties of copper in combating Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA,) spread by its use in touch surfaces and all fixtures and fittings in hospitals and clinics. The international competitive nature of the downstream activities of fabrication limit these opportunities as well established firms are ever ready and prepared to cease any market opportunities as they arise and compete out less competitive ones. Chinas dominance in the recent global copper consumption forecloses in comparative and competitive terms, any opportunities of developing an internationally competitive further copper processing in Zambia at least, for the short to medium term. For instance, Chinese refined copper consumption expanded by an annual 15.3% in the 1998-2007 period and by 2007, Chinas share of global copper usage rose from 10.5% to 26.9% (Radetzki , 2009. P. 177) in a decade. Though very important, the geological potential does not itself guarantee comparative and competitive advantage in any appreciable further downstream processing. For instance, Chile, the worlds largest copper producer, accounting 34 percent of world mined copper output and 17 percent of wor ld refined copper output, yet its use of refined copper is less than 1 percent of the world total (World Bank, 2011.8) 3.4 Mitigating Downstream Activities-Associated Risks and the Way Forward Value-addition is critical to ensuring greater benefits and competitiveness for countries incorporated in the global economy (Mtegha and Minnitt, 2006 p. 236) hence further downstream processing should be encouraged and driven by state incentives taking cognizance of the external environment. A strong manufacturing base has to be developed if any significant expansion of copper value-addition activities is to grow. In order to grow and sustain a downstream fabrication sector and even beyond, new sources of accessing competitive foreign direct investment and the continual adaptation and innovation of technology which is critical to maintaining technological competitive edge globally are ideal prerequisites. Moreover, demand is indispensable in industrial development and therefore any effort in that regard must first address the market end of the value chain ranging from local, regional to global levels. The ability to create a clear niche advantage is required if the copper downstream activities are to undergo substantial growth. Ideally, attaining global competitiveness is the single most important driver in mitigating risks ranging from further downstream processing or fabrication. While this may possibly be a long term growth and development goal in the downstream sector, the provision of adequate energy, communication and other infrastructure coupled with the effective and judicious use of economic returns from copper mining for diversification in new comparative advantage industries would in the papers view set the foundation for any competitive industrialisation in the long run. From table 1 below, South Africa is better positioned to cease any downstream copper fabrication and market opportunities at regional level and at the global level, China. 4.0 CONCLUSION AND RECOMMENDATION The study explored the scope of downstream linkages in the Zambian copper industry and examined the risks of engaging in downstream fabrication as well as the opportunities and suggested ways for mitigating the risks. The study reveals a small and modest fabrication activity producing a narrow range of products for domestic use and for export to regional markets, largely informed by proximity to customers guided by profitability. The decision in going downstream beyond primary metal processing encapsulates political and economic dimensions hence, requires striking a balance between both dimensions. Shaping a competitive mining industry alongside conscious efforts to diversify into other industries which gradually grow to shake off the initial copper-based dependence is a policy option and at the same time revitalizing the national science, technology and innovation policy to provide the foundation for long term skills and knowledge development. Chile, having built a competitive minin g industry, diversified its economy into other competitive sectors which propelled its growth. In the short to medium term, developing a competitive copper mining industry is plausible and more realistic in comparative advantage terms while mapping out strategies to attain competitiveness from national, regional to global scales which will mitigate further copper processing or fabrication risks.

Catcher in the Rye Essay: The Judgmental Caulfield :: Catcher Rye Essays

The Judgmental Caulfield of The Catcher in the Rye The Catcher in the Rye, by J.D. Salinger, is a classic novel about a sixteen-year-old boy, Holden Caulfield, who speaks of a puzzling time in his life. Holden has only a few days until his expulsion from Pency Prep School. He starts out as the type of person who can't stand "phony" people. He believes that his school and everyone in it is phony, so he leaves early. He then spends three aimless days in New York City. During this time, Holden finds out more about himself and how he relates to the world around him. He believes that he is the catcher in the rye: " I keep picturing all these little kids playing some game in a big field of rye and all. Thousands of little kids, and nobody's around-nobody big, I mean-except me. And I'm standing on the edge of some crazy cliff. What have I to do, I have to catch everybody if they start to go over the cliff..." (173). He briefly enters what he believes is adulthood and becomes a "phony" himself. By the end of the story, Holden realizes he doe sn't like the type of person he has become, so he reverts into an idealist; a negative, judgmental person. Holden's idealism is first brought forth when he describes his life at Pency Prep. It is full of phonies, morons and bastards. His roommate, Stradlater, " was at least a pretty friendly guy, It was partly a phony kind of friendly..." (26) and his other roommate, Ackley is "a very nosy bastard" (33). Holden can't stand to be around either one of them for a very long time. Later, he gets into a fight with Stradlater over his date with Jane. Holden is upset because he thinks that Stradlater "gave her the time" and that he doesn't care about her; 'the reason he didn't care was because he was a goddam stupid moron. All morons hate it when you call them a moron' (44). Holden not only sees his roommates as phonies and bastards, but he also sees his headmaster at Pency Prep as a "phony slob" (3). This type of person is exactly what Holden doesn't want to be. He strives to be a mature adult; caring, compassionate, and sensitive. Even when Holden goes out or reads a story, it is just full of phoniness, ".

Logic, Imagination and Deduction Essays -- Logic Imagination Deductio

Logic, Imagination and Deduction "Quit your day dreaming" "Mr. Gies, are you still with us?" "Hello!" These are some of the common inquisitions I heard while trying my best to pay attention during elementary school classes. It seems that I had some issues with staying on task. Perhaps it was a problem that I would outgrow, or at least be able to control, but as the years went on by I found that time did not change me. What a break! It turns out that using my imagination has helped me numerous times in solving networking issues, writing code, troubleshooting electronic devices, and designing complex systems. So are critical thinking, logic and deduction, and problem solving learned skills? Or are they simply tied to ones ability to imagine. Although genetics may play a role in the degree to which an individual can imagine; I believe imagination can be a skill that is developed and is directly proportional to ones ability to use logic and deduction when solving complicated problems. So who does all this imagining anyway? Bronowski, in his essay, "The Reach of Imagination", states, "To imagine is the characteristic act, not of the poet’s mind, or the painter’s, or the scientist’s, but of the mind of man" (Bronowski 461). It seems that this act of imagining is for all mankind. You’ve probably heard the phrase "right brained people". These are the artsy, imaginative, creative types that seem to dominate media venues such as TV and radio, and because of this visibility it would be easy to assume that’s where all the creative people hang out. I think that assumption is way off track. Plenty of highly imaginative technical experts are discovering great solutions to all kind of problems. Architects designing buildings to... ...ion is controlled by conditioning and experiences. Life and its experiences have far more to do with ones ability to imagine then the physical makeup of your genes. I do, however, believe that problem-solving correlates directly to one’s ability to imagine. As I write the conclusion to this essay I find my self imagining a multitude of other things. I imagine how the essay will look printed, did I get the point across, and will it be received well. A quick reflection back in time and I hear a voice from the past saying "Mr. Zimmerman, are you with us?", "Mr. Zimmerman, stay on task", and only now can I safely say, "No. I think I’m just going to think for awhile". Imagine that. Works Cited Katherine Anne Ackley, Perspectives on Contemporary Issues Bronowski Jacob, The Reach of Imagination Hoffmann Roald, The Chemist Ridley Matt, The Year of the Genome

Computer Architecture :: Essays Papers

Computer Architecture 1. There have been a lot of developments in microprocessors since the 286 chip. The 286 CPU are no longer sold and are very rarely found in commercial use today because of its running speed, which is between 10MHz to 20MHz. This processor has a 24-bit address bus, and is able to address up to 16 million different address locations. It also has two operating modes, which are real mode and protected mode. The real mode is basically for normal DOS operations and it uses only 8086 code (8086 was the previous CPU). When it was in protected mode the CPU is able to access beyond the 1mb address limit and employed its added features, which were intended for multi-tasking operations such as Windows, but this CPU is not powerful enough to carry out these multi-tasking operations. The 286 came with a bus width of 16-bit internal, 24-bit address, and 16-bit external, with an external speed of between 6MHz – 25MHz, and an internal speed of between 6MHz – 25MHz. The next CPU was the 386, this is also no longer produced it had a slightly faster running speeds which are between 16MHz to 40MHz. This CPU could carry out effective multi tasking operations. It also had a substantial improvement in both memory management and it had an enlarged instruction set. It is also the minimum CPU for running windows. It came in two types the 386 SX and the 386 DX. The SX had a 32-bit internal data path but it only had a 16-bit path between the CPU and the computer memory. The DX on the other hand had a 32-bit data bus between the CPU and the memory chips allowing larger data transfers so it had faster through put. It also was able to use external cache memory, usually about 64k, which also improved performance. The 386 came in two different types they both had a internal bus width of 32 bit, the SX had a address bus width of 24 bit, and a external bus width of 16 bit, its internal and external speed was between 16MHz – 33MHz. The DX however had an add ress and external bus width of 32 bit, its internal and external speed was between 33MHz–40MHz. The 486 were the next CPU, this is still produced, there was little change to the 386 instruction set, but the 486 ran at speeds between 20MHz to 100MHz.

Goodbye To All That Essay

In the autobiography, Robert Graves stated how his life has been influenced by the two sides of his family. He had a very strong drive to succeed and possessed great intelligence, which basing on his statement, were his father’s greatest influence in him. Good thing that Robert Graves have decided to write a novel of his account in France, because if he did not, there will be no compilation of stories that war-related story readers will be spending time with. On Arrival In France This chapter is a detailed anecdote about the intensity felt by the public during the First World War. He provided a clear depiction of what took place during the war, and gave a narrative visualization of the images prevalent in a war zone and the feelings that haunted the people – including the threats of explosions and the fear of death which were rampant during the period. As a poet, he worked hard to enable himself in providing a clear depiction of the war stories, however, his capacity is only limited to what he had seen and experienced. Being a journalist is an entirely different profession from a poet, however, Grave proved the mutual intention and passion of both profession. In this light, I would make a comparative analysis between the works of Robert Graves and Joseph Lee Galloway, an American newspaper columnist, who was the only civilian present in the Vietnam War. Both of the two writers had proven their courage as civilians living amidst the war. The life of Galloway, as depicted in the movie â€Å"We Were Soldiers† was a clear narration of the entire war scene, the feelings that were involved as he experienced violence in the middle of the war. On the other hand, Graves’ autobiography successfully touched his readers’ minds in his poetic way of stressing out the value of life, especially when under grave threats against life during the war era. His courage was most tested at times when he had to stick to his decision that he ought to pursue his passion and continue fulfilling his profession even if it meant risking his own life in the middle of the war. Though he wasn’t literally fighting, he acted as a soldier in such a way that he was fighting for his life just to enable himself in providing the people with the most dangerous pieces of information and valuable lessons that were taught during war experiences. Also in this chapter, he showed a distinct psychological capability of a poet in carefully observing the natural tendency of the soldiers to act calmly while their insides were rattling at the commencement of the war. He justifiably narrated the real feelings of the soldiers as they faced the dangers implicated during the war. â€Å"They never sang out of tune†¦ † was an emotional attack to a reader’s heart (Graves, Robert, Goodbye to All That). After Grave said that the soldiers were a bit frightened or nervous at the moment, they never sang out of tune. He asserted the justifiable manner at which the soldiers’ courage were supposed to be appreciated. He magnified the idea that though these soldiers were indeed afraid and trembling at the threat of dying, and the hollow future of their families at the pain of losing, still these soldiers didn’t back off at the brink of danger. Instead, they continued fighting notwithstanding the fears, pain and danger that were accustomed to their jobs. Guns in the Distance The battlefield was a mere case of â€Å"survival of the fittest†. All around, soldiers were ready for the battle and all of them kept hold of their only partners during the war – guns, ammunitions, bombs, grenades and other destructive weapons that were used by both sides. As the mere sound of explosions caused the soldiers to feel the danger and seek for refuge, they had learned all the tactics to preserve their lives. Consequently though, they were able to transform the fear into something that was fun, and something that calmed them down rather than causing even more threats and disturbance in them. The Trench Danger was everywhere and the trench was their only refuge. It served as their only shelter against all the atrocities and dangers from the enemies. However, the tranquility they felt in the place wasn’t enough to keep them from all the dangers of the war. Death was a presence though least welcomed, most prevalent in the war zone. And neither the shelter provided by trenches was enough to secure the soldiers from dying. The trench gives a soldier a chance to live longer, but he must suffer the consequences of being with it. He has to be strong enough to soak his feet to the wet and slippery trench. He has to be careful of the holes right and left, to the low and high wires of the field telephones and to the deep areas in the trench. He must be alert, cautious and apprehensive of all the bullets coming from anywhere, because bullets does not choose who to kill. It does not know who it wants to land on, to whose body or head or face. It just blows inside you and stops you from thinking, and feeling, and breathing. Moreover, the life in trench though provided a home for the soldier, was the least safe and comfortable amongst all the places disrupted by war. It would not keep them away from bullets, shells and other explosives that endangers human life. And though there were discomforts within the trench that had seemed to devoid the place of its tranquility, the trench was a place to hide – even though it danger itself is inculcated within its borders. Battalion Headquarters There lies a great difference between the battalion headquarters and the trench. Wherein trench did not provide them enough protection and shelter from bullets and explosions, coupled with the discomfort within the area; the battalion headquarter was a comfortable place wherein the menace of the war was less visible and felt. However, ordinary soldiers did not experience comfort and luxuries that the place could offer. Rather, high ranking military officials were the ones who enjoyed the luxury of such place. It was a clear irony. The soldiers who were fighting face to face against death lived with fear, exhaustion and restlessness. They lived through the war with a miserable condition – poor shelter, less time to feed themselves, and even lesser time to allow their bodies and minds to rest. And the foods they eat were not nicely cooked. Soldiers lived with all the discomfort, difficulties, inconvenience and troubles. While on the other hand, those high ranked military officials who are not facing the dangers of the open war enjoyed all the luxury and favors that they could avail of. They are not suffering the fear of dying because they were sheltered safe from all the atrocities of the war. The irony lies in the mere fact that those who are risking their lives and facing bullets and bombs most of the lives suffered from discomfort and danger; while there were those military officials who did not fight amidst the battle were the ones enjoying the favors that life could offer them. There is also an acquainted thought about how soldiers in the battle and the soldiers out in the battle behaves in front of the officers. When Graves narrated the time when they have passed through the group of men in the battalion headquarters, he is sure that the group were aware that they were officials, but they did not make any recognition. In the trenches, soldiers know how to honor them. They even call Graves â€Å"Sir†, and gives recognition to the officers. They are well-disciplined, and yet, they are those in the danger zone. Did the war zone discipline them? If it did, then maybe it is better to put this group of soldiers in the battle field to cultivate a disciplined attitude. How was that? The Only Survivors Only the survivors of the battle were the ones who gained honors and established good reputations for themselves because they had the capability of passing their stories onto other people. They were able to narrate how they have lived their lives during the onset of the war. However, people had forgotten those who heroically died during the battle. Commemoration of the soldiers who died in the battlefield had been less probable because during this time, only those who survived became the center of attention amongst the civilians. And the tasks of remembering the courageous acts of those who did not survive were only left amongst the families of the non survivors. The heroism of these people had become a mere representation of a distinct part of the history, rather than heroism remembered and commemorated. Then how to survive in the battle anyway? When in the trenches, it is cold, no good foods, no rest, no peace of mind†¦ how are they about to survive in that kind of living? Does the survival of the fittest also mean surviving from cold, bacterias and viruses? We all know soldiers do not mind how far they could be dirty or gross, because all they have in mind is to stop the enemy from fighting and to battle against them. It is not part of their mission to have a sensitive stomach when they joined the military. If they need to eat the soil, they will, in order to survive in the battle. Half of the soldiers were lost because of coldness. They suffer severe rheumatism, or being frost-bitten. But those sufferings will not be acknowledged when they died. Only those who survived will get the great reputations. Only the fittest has the right to be accustomed. Those who died will just be part of the history. How sad†¦ Our Timetable Two hours? Is that a sleep or just a nap?. In this chapter, Graves illustrated the dedication those soldiers had for the sake of their duties. Their lives at the middle of the battlefield was spent with rifles, grenades, bullets, bombs and other ammunitions; with little time left for eating, sleep and rest. They have to work all day and night, with only two hours of sleep. Yes, they still have two hours to rest their minds and bodies, but do we think they could really rest in that situation? No, because they should be always alert in anything to happen because their lives are always at the risk and danger. In addition, the scarce time left for them to rest was spent in more desolation and increased vigilance that rendered them the incapability of spending that scarce amount of time for the rest needed by their body. Thus, rest became an abstract concept for them. For resting shall render them complacency that might induce more danger for their lives and the cause that they were fighting for. They could not rest for once, for there is a tendency that they will never wake forever. A Soldier’s Death This chapter was highlighted by Graves’ anecdotes on the deaths of particular soldiers. The deaths by these soldiers were far worse than the deaths in the middle of the war. These deaths were more tragic. Soldiers decided to end their agony by suicide. The whole depiction of the battle was more engrossed in the mere fact that most of the soldiers faltered and lost their hopes. And it was more awful that these incidents were not properly documented and reported. Military officials didn’t have much of the courage to honestly admit that the emotional burdens caused by the war was far worse than the physical exhaustion that it imposed amongst the soldiers. Thus they made false accounts and fake letters and reports that were given to the families of the soldiers who committed suicide. How many soldiers have those kinds of stories? We do not know. We can not guess. Kill the Lice The life of the lice is like the life of the soldiers. Just as invaluable and ambiguous. Which was better to kill, the young ones or the old ones? Just like them, soldiers were killing soldiers of the enemy. But they did not care who they had killed, young or old. What only matters was that they were able to defend their cause. Killing has been their lives. Humans are like lice, living in the world, from birth to death. It matters not who shall die first, the same way that a longer life was only out of sheer luck. For normal people who does not understand the lifestyle of the soldiers, life is not compared with lice’s life. Being a human is far different from being lice. But for a soldier who lives like lice, there is a great similarity. Seems like there is nothing different between them. Live today, die tomorrow†¦ with any cause, nice or worst. In the life of a soldier, their life is ambiguous. Just like lice’s†¦ Gas, Sir, Gas! It was such a sudden false alarm. For the lower ranked soldiers, every sign of enemy’s attack meant danger, and they were supposed to do something about it. But on the part of the high-profiled officers, everything was just common scenario. The gas alarm was not a thing to apprehend the officers, because they knew how to analyze the situation. Their knowledge and experiences in every battle taught them how to react on such situations. For the common soldiers, it was panic; but for the officers who could sense the attack, there wasn’t any reason to get alarmed because they were ready for it. Thus, I would say that Robert Graves is a very intelligent writer. His writings really made sense and I do not doubt why he had become a legendary figure in the world of literary. â€Å"Goodbye To All That† was a great success in touching the lives of his readers and generating a dramatic empathy towards anyone’s emotions. He wrote all his war anecdotes because he wanted to forget and let go of all the disturbing experiences of the war. He discovered secrets, experienced many difficulties, he was a witness on many painful suffering and deaths. And as such, he wanted to forget these experiences, but he wanted to share everything that he was has learned through all these experiences.